"That's Hunting"

is a phrase often muttered by Hunters when they prepare food plots, set trail cams, pick location, get permission, purchase land, lease land, purchase scent free clothing, carefully select the right gun/ammo, bow, bolts, shafts, broad heads, sights, scopes, ladder stand, climber stand, back pack, gloves, boots, jacket, hat, blind, decoy, call, and the necessities go never ending long…just to miss an opportunity, a chance, a glimpse. To far out, can't make the shot, branch in the way, not broadside enough, ugh, another step!, trail came showed activity…??….What the heck!

Pro Staff Hunting

With my great friend and Pro-staff pal, Amy Sward, the circumstance with the phrase, "That's Hunting" was when Amy invited me to Turkey hunt. Now if you have read her Blogs on this site you will see the time and effort that she put into scouting Spring Gobblers. Working through the night and rushing to the ridge before morning light to give a call in hopes for a Gobble back. Her Granddad is long-time friends with the guy that owns some land on that rocky ridge in Mifflin Co. PA. Amy and her husband would hike it up the ridge after working all night, sit, listen, call, and were lucky enough to get a gobble back. She filmed, she plotted out location, she strategize, she was hopeful, confident, she was making purchases of all the needed equipment, even taking a road trip to purchase the gun of her choice. Ah, the feel of that gun to her shoulder, the feel of the painted face, the right gear. She knew where they were, she had video to prove it, she had her husband to call for her and she could not wait till PA open day!

Then she had a thought in her mind. My friend Gail should come here to get a Turkey. After all, Amy was hearing 3-4 Gobblers. Plenty! So I get the message, "Where are you hunting Spring Gobbler?" I say Clearfield Co. PA. Always do, no success. Amy tells me to just come up to her ridge. I check my calendar. One day is all I got time for. PA opening day. Thats it. Until noon by PA Regs. A deal! I tell her.

May 3rd, PA open day I drive up at 3:00 AM. Amy tells me to get in her Pap's hut, with her husband Ed up the ridge behind me, calling for me. 5:30 am, Ed gives a call, nothing. A porcupine comes in and I watch it mull around. We hear a shot go off, I text Amy..neither of us shot! Darn! The neighbor! Moments later Ed gives a call. We hear a gobble. I text Amy. "Heard a gobble!" Moments later 3 hens come sprinting up the ridge about 45 yards out to my left. I look down the ridge. Black! Woo-hoo! He's coming! Ed's not calling and he's coming. Following them Hens! He came up the ridge after them but angled in towards the front, west corner of the hut. Mossberg up, baby! He stops. Performs an incredible spin! Not thinking at the time but I believe he spotted the porcupine at this point. I thought he was going to come across out front but after his turning around he continues up the ridge. But now he is about 37 yards out! I got to get my barrel out the other window! While making the change I see that he is along side some downed branches and tree log. I look ahead of his path. One opening! His jelly head is going to position directly in it and now out in front of my Dead-Ringer Beard Buster sight! I put my sight on his head and slowly move my barrel ahead of him to the opening. Wait for him, wait for him. Its over! He's down! I'm in shock! Text Amy! BIRD DOWN! WOO-HOO!!

​My 2014 spring gobbler days were ended 2 hour in on PA open day. I got a great first Tom. But you know what? It was all my friend Amy. She set me up. The scouting, the property, the hut, the location, the caller, the invite. Thats a tremendous thing for her to do. All I had to do was not let her down, or my caller down, or myself. Just sqeeze that Mossberg and make the shot! I did just that.

So there you have that phrase. That phrase heard so often. By thoughtful hunting buddies that let someone use thier stand, thier blind, thier property, etc. and that buddie walks in and makes a harvest on what you worked for. "That's Hunting".

Amy kept hunting till the season finished out. She came out with all her ammo and a cold barrel but still excited to have went through the season. She'll be back out there next May. And I'll be rooting for her! Maybe I'll get up to ridge again…After she gets HERS, of course!

Born and raised in Eastern Pennsylvania I spent time in the outdoors every chance I got as a child. I would rush home, do homework, go out until supper and then go back out after supper. My grandma would take me fishing in the creek as a child. We would catch minnows in a sack and release them. My dad wasn’t a hunter, but in hunting seasons we would go to my uncle’s hunting camp to see what their harvest was and I found that fascinating.
I drifted away from the tomboy years and got married, raised two great children into adults, and established a career in Managing Food Safety. In my second marriage, my husband and best friend, introduced me to fishing and hunting. He’s an outdoorsman and we do everything together. I found that I enjoyed the things he did and I learned to gun hunt, dirt bike, inshore and off shore fish, and ride street bikes. My passion has become archery and everything it involves; the woods, the wait, the strategy, the harvest. Even though, I’ll admit, I am afraid of the dark woods and spiders, my passion is so strong that I am out there every season. I not only enjoy the hunt for myself but I love to talk with others about hunting and hope they can experience the outdoors and the thrills that can be achieved from wild game management.